Abstract: A sailboat mast including a straight lower portion and a curved upper portion. The curved upper portion has an aerodynamically efficient cross section designed to reduce drag. The mast assembly is free to rotate with respect to the boat's hull in order to position the mast in line with the airflow for windward sailing, perpendicular to the airflow for downwind sailing, and at other appropriate angles for other conditions. The curved upper portion of the mast facilitates storage of the mast along a curved gunwale. The mast preferably incorporates a curved mast extension allowing an increase in the sail area beyond what is possible for a one-piece mast that is storable within the length of a boat.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, data processing system and computer program product for providing a data stream transform service, for example for transforming a data stream into a format suitable for printing. A data-stream is divided into one or more work units, each work unit is provided to one or more transform engines to transform the work unit into the required format, and each transform engine is monitored whilst transforming a work unit. By monitoring each transform engine details of, for example, resource usage are obtained which may be used to calculate a fee to charge a client for performing transformation of a data stream, and/or failure of a transform engine can be detected and corrective action taken should a transform engine fail.

Abstract: A sailboat mast including a straight lower portion and a curved upper portion. The curved upper portion has an aerodynamically efficient cross section designed to reduce drag. The mast assembly is free to rotate with respect to the boat's hull in order to position the mast in line with the airflow for windward sailing, perpendicular to the airflow for downwind sailing, and at other appropriate angles for other conditions. The curved upper portion of the mast facilitates storage of the mast along a curved gunwale. The mast preferably incorporates a curved mast extension allowing an increase in the sail area beyond what is possible for a one-piece mast that is storable within the length of a boat.

Abstract: A fastener device has a body member for welding and securing structural members together. The body member has a lateral bore extending between an upper flat side and a lower flat side. The sides each have a pattern of externally facing grooves communicating with the lateral bore and an exothermic material fills the patterns of grooves, the lateral bore and a radially extending bore communicating with the lateral bore. A fuse in the radial bore produces intense heat in the exothermic material to initiate an exothermic reaction to melt at least some of the body member, exothermic material, and structural members and weld the body member and structural members together. The man-portable, self-contained, reliable, fastener device permits a relatively unskilled workman to securely interconnect the structural members together at a primitive work site without requiring ancillary equipment.

Abstract: A sailboat mast including a straight lower portion and an arcuate upper portion. The arcuate upper portion has an aerodynamically efficient cross section designed to reduce drag. At least the arcuate upper portion is free to rotate with respect to the boat's hull in order to position the mast in line with the airflow for windward sailing, perpendicular to the airflow for downwind sailing, and at other appropriate angles for other conditions. The arcuate upper portion of the mast facilitates storage of the mast along a curved gunwale. The mast preferably incorporates a curved mast extension allowing an increase in the sail area beyond what is possible for a one-piece mast that is storable within the length of a boat.

Abstract: A tactile sensor comprises a sensing bladder in pneumatic communication with a first diaphragm side of a pneumatic diaphragm via a first fluid; the pneumatic diaphragm being actuatable by a displacement of the first fluid within the sensing bladder; the pneumatic diaphragm further comprising a second diaphragm side in fluid isolation from the first diaphragm side; the second diaphragm side being pneumatically biased against the first diaphragm side, and the second diaphragm side and the first diaphragm side of the pneumatic diaphragm each being in pneumatic communication with an external environment.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and an article of manufacture for registration calibration of a printer. An application prints reticle patterns on a printed page. An imaging device creates a digital image of the printed reticle patterns. If color registration on the printer is improper, the digital image exhibits interference patterns. The application compares the interference patterns to the reticle patterns, and based on the results of the comparison adjusts the color registration of the printer.

Abstract: Provided are a method, system, and an article of manufacture for registration calibration of a printer. An application prints reticle patterns on a printed page. An imaging device creates a digital image of the printed reticle patterns. If color registration on the printer is improper, the digital image exhibits interference patterns. The application compares the interference patterns to the reticle patterns, and based on the results of the comparison adjusts the color registration of the printer.